Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-21
King Fhecbaw's Country.
LChicaco Herald.l

Robert Sutherland, of Burmah, is at
the Grand Pacific Hotel, and his fawn-
colorod kn;ckerbockers, black stock
ings, white canvas shoes, long linen
vest, tight buttoned to the throat, eye
glass, and red mOustachc made up a
very striking combination as he sam
tered abont the lobby. He was found
when approached to be highly-intel-
Ggent and afIable man of the world
aud to have an apparently inexhausti-
BILE fund OF information about Burmah
and the East.
81 an travelling for pleasure he
said, land shall be here fora few days,
seeing the sights, having never seen
Chicago before. Then | go East and
TO England. You see, i'll Burmah,
during the rainy season, which lasts
six months, we can do nothing so |
travel during that time. We came by
way of Singapore through China and
spent some time in Japan. There | was
greatly surprised at the intelligence OF
the natives and their rapid growth in
western IDEAS OF late years. We went
up country, beyond the railways, our
cOnvevances being a sort of Bath chair
upon two wheels and drawn each by
two stout, fiEe-looking natives, who
made astonishing speed, sometimes as
high as forty miles day. We travelled
everywhere, as freely and safely as we
would il Japan, a marked contrast to
the total exclusion of foreigners only
twenty years ago.
Mr.. Sutherland has been in Burmah
twenty six years, and much of the time
IS resident manager of the Bombay
Rurmah Trading Corporation, one OF
the largest concerns in the East.
"Burmah possesses the only ruby
mines in the world, and they are very
valuable he continued. 1.-The desire
Of the French in Tonquin to get control
Of these and the teak forests led to the
recent trouble with King Theebaw and
tie overthrow OF that monarch's r1le.
He1opudiated very large claim against
him by the Bombay BCrmah Corpora
ton, claiming that the agents had
made false returns. He wanted to
break his contracts. and 10 prevent his
trading with the French the English
Government took up the claim of the
corporation, its members being British
subjects, and the war over its enforce
ment led to Theebaw's capture and the
extension OF the English protectorate
over the whole of Burmah, instead OF
one half the country, as before. This
was accomplished two years ago, Thee
baw being sent to India, where he re-
mainsa nominal prisoner, though he has
ample means and liberty. When Thee
DAVIS army was disbanded the soldiers
were allowed to retain their arms and
simply sent home. Without means or
occupation they began robbiug, first to
get food, and then plundered from the
mere lust for it. They are known as
Dacoits, and grew to be very danger
Gus bands, all the idle and vicious
swarming to their ranks, the great
er part of the country being terrorized
by them. The Government finally
began a systematic suppression OF
them, ard expect the country will be
all quiet and peaceful when / return.
American missionaries have accom-
plished wonders in Burmah, not only
in Outstanding the people, but in
civilizing and elevating them. You
meet them everywhere, and the natives
have learned to have a great deal OF
respect and admiration for them"